Apparatus for installing an electrical connector on conductors intermediate the ends thereof

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of conductors to electrical terminals mounted in a connector or the like has a connector jig for holding the connector in a predetermined position and wire jig, which holds the wires being inserted. The wire jig is movable between adjacent and remote positions relative to the connector jig. The wire jig has a central opening and has first wire holders adjacent to, and on each side of, this opening and second wire holders on each side of the opening which are removed from the first wire holders. Loose wires are laced through the second wire holders and through the first wire holders so that they span the opening in the wire jig. The wire jig is then moved to its adjacent position relative to the connector jig and an inserting member moves through the opening to transfer the wires from the first wire holders to the terminals.

United States Patent Tucci APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON CONDUCTORS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF [75] Inventor: John James Tucci, Winston-Salem,

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

[22] Filed: Dec. 5, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 312,394

[52] 0.8. CI. 29/203 H [51] Int. Cl H01r 43/00 [58] Field of Search.... 29/203 H, 203 HM, 203 HT, 29/203 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,665,574 5/1972 Brown 29/203 H Apr. 16,1974

Primary Examiner-Thomas Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-AMP Incorporated [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of conductors to electrical terminals mounted in a connector or the like has a connector jig for holding the connector in a predetermined position and 'wire jig, which holds the wires being inserted. The wire jig is movable between adjacent and remote positions rela-' tive to the connector jig. The wire jig has a central opening and has first wire holders adjacent to, and on each side of, this opening and second wire holders on each side of the opening which are removed from the first wire holders. Loose wires are laced through the second wire holders and through the first wire holders so that they span the opening in the wire jig. The wire jig is then moved to its adjacent position. relative to the connector jig and an inserting member moves through the opening to transfer the wires from the first wire holders to the terminals.

I 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures di/1A Q- 84 I I22 l0 PATENTED APR 1 6 I974 SHEET 2 OF 7 FATENTEUAPR 16 I97!- SHEET 6 OF 7 APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON CONDUCTORS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF RELATED U.S. PATENT APPLICATIONS The instant invention is directed to improvements to insertion tools of the type disclosed in applications Ser. Nos. 147,578, 189,571 which issued as US. Pat. No. 3,742,571, and 230,820. These pending applications disclose apparatus for inserting the ends of wires into contact terminals contained in a connecting device such as an electrical connector of the general type disclosed in application Ser. No. 147,569.

' BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Application Ser. No. 147,578 discloses and claims an apparatus for simultaneously trimming the ends of a plurality of conductors and inserting the trimmed ends into wire receiving slots in the plate-like portions of electrical .terminals which are mounted in an electrical connector or other connecting device. The apparatus shown in Application Ser. No. 147,578 is particularly adapted for connecting the conductors in a cable to a connector. There exists a need, however, for an apparatus which is capable of connecting intermediate portions of loose wires to a connector. In the harness making industry, for example, there is frequently a requirement that two conductors be electrically commoned at one terminal position in a connector and in the past this has been accomplished by simply connecting two precut conductors to the terminal. The instant invention permits a single conductor to be attached to the terminals intermediate its ends so'that the portions of the conductor extending away from the terminal can serve as the two conductors which were previously separately attached. There are also occasions in the harness making art for installing a connector on a cable intermediate the ends of the cable and the instant invention is directed to the achievement of this type of connector installation without requiringthat the cable be cut at the point of connector installation.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for connecting individual conductors to the terminals contained in a connecting device such as a multi-contact electrical connector. A further object isto provide an apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of conductors to the terminals in an electrical connector or the like. A still further object is to provide an apparatus for installing an electrical connector on a cable intermediate the ends thereof. It is a further object to provide apparatus for facilitating and expediting the manufacture of electrical harnesses and cables.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a preferred embodiment thereof which is briefly described in the foregoing abstract, which is described in detail below, and which is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector installed on a plurality of conductors intermediate the ends thereof in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofa two-part cover which is adapted to be assembled to a connector which has been installed on conductors.

FIG 2A is a fragmentary perspective view of the rearward side of the connector shown in FIG. 1 with the cover means removed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective sectional view of the connector shown in FIG. 1, one of the contact terminals being exploded from the connector housing.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a semi-schematic plan view of an electrical harness containing connectors installed on the conductors of the harness in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a preferred form of apparatus for connecting a plurality of conductors to the terminals of a connector in accordance with the invention, this view showing the tool with its movable parts in their opened position and illustrating the manner of lacing the conductors through wire-holding jigs of the tool.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the tool of FIG. 6 showing the parts in their closed positions which they occupy at the completion of the installation process.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the lines 8-8 of FIG. 7 and illustrating the relative positions of the conductor holding jigs and the wire insertion tooling immediately prior to insertion of the conductors into the conductor receiving slots of the terminals.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the positions of the parts after completion of the inserting operation.

As shown in FIG. I, a connector and conductor assembly in accordance with the invention comprises an electrical connector 4 and a plurality of conductors 2, 2. Theconductors extend towards the rearward side of the connector, are connected to terminals 18 in the connector and which extend from these terminals as indicated at 20 and 2a. The connector 4 has two parallel rows of terminals as will be explained below and the conductors 2 extend to the terminals in the upper row while the conductors 2' extend to the conductors in the lower row.

The connector 4 (FIGS. 3 and 4) comprises a housing 6 having a central body portion 7, a mating side 8, and a rearward side 10. Contact receiving cavities 12 extend leftwardly from the rearward side to the mating side and open onto the surfaces l4, 14' of a rib 13 which projects centrally from the body portion. As will be apparent from FIG. 4, the connector is symmetrical about its horizontal center line and the same reference numerals, differentiated by prime marks, are used for the corresponding structural elements on the upper and lower sides of this center line. In the interest of brevity, only the upper portion of the connector is described in detail.

A hood 16 projects forwardly from body portion 7 in surrounding relationship to the rib 13, this hood being adapted to surround a complementary connector part when mated therewith as fully described in the aboveidentified application Ser. No. 147,569.

The individual contact terminals 18 which are contained in the cavities 12 have a central shank portion 20, a contact arm of reduced width 22 which extends from the shank, and a pair of spaced apart plate sections 24, 26 on the rearward end of the shank. The plate sections are joined to each other at their upper ends by parallel straps 28 between which a conductor is moved into slots 30, 32 in the plate sections when the conductor is to be electrically connected to the terminal.

Arib 34 projects from the rearward side of the housing and has a surface 36 on which the shank portions of the terminals are supported. Vertically extending barrier plates 38 extend upwardly from the surface 36 and function to isolate the individual terminals each from the other. At their righthand ends, as viewed in FIG. 4, the dimensions of these barrier plates are such that their edges are beyond the plate sections 24, 26 and straps 28. The barriers are of reduced height adjacent to the body portion of the housing as shown at 40 and merge with a rearwardly facing surface 42 which extends normally of the surface 36. Surface 42 merges with a ledge 44 which is parallel to surface 36 and this ledge in turn merges with another rearwardly facing surface 46 of the intermediate body'portion 7 of the housing. I

As shownin FIG. 4, the conductors 2, 2 extend towards the rib 34 and diverge adjacent to this rib, the conductors 2 extending upwardly as viewed in FIG. 4 through the aligned slots of the plate sections of the terminals in the upper row thence to the surfaces 42, 46 and upwardly while the conductors 2 are similarly arranged with respect to the terminals in the lower row.

The conductors 2, 2' are held in the slots of the individual terminals 18 and are dressed or guided towards and away from the rearward side of the connector by means of a bipartite cover and clamping means 50, B62, the two parts of this cover being identical so that a description of, one will suffice for both. The upper part in FIG. 2 comprises an elongated web 52 having a flange 54 depending from its rearward edge and a relatively short flange 56 depending from its forward edge which is adjacent to the surface 46 after installation. The external surface of the flange 58 is advantageously cylindrical as shown in FIG. 4 so that it will confine and clamp the conductors against the surfaces42, 46. A central flange 60 is provided between the flanges 54,56 and spaced from the flange 56 by a distance such that the barriers 38 will be received withinthe groove or channel 61 which is defined by the opposed sides of the two flanges. The dimensions of flanges 56, 60 are such that-they serve to hold the conductors in the inner ends of the slots 30, 32 of the terminals and prevent any lateral movement of the conductors which might degrade the electrical connections of the conductors to the terminals.

An end flange 62 depends from the righthand end of the upper cover part and an integral latching strap 66, having a central opening 68, projects downwardly from the lower end of this flange. Another end flange 64 dependsfrom the lefthand end of the web 52 and has a central recess 70 on its outwardly facing side which is adapted to receive the latch strap 66' of the lower cover part, a locking boss 72 being provided in this recessfor cooperation with the locking strap 66'. When the .parts,'as viewed in FIG. 2, are moved towards each other,the straps 66, 66' will thus be flexed outwardly until the bosses enter the openings 68, 68'. The opposed surfaces 74, 74' and 76, 76' ofthe end flanges 62, 64 bear against the sides 48 of the central rib 34 of a connector housing so that the cover is restrained against movement.

Both the housing and the cover member are advantageously formed of a plastic insulation material, the material for the cover being such that the latch straps 66, 66' are stiffly flexible to permit assembly of the cover parts to the connector;

After the conductors 2, 2 have been inserted into the slots of the contact terminals in the manner described below, the cover 50 is assembled to the housing by p0- sitioning the two cover parts on the opposite sides of the rib 34 as shown in FIG. 2 and moving them towards each other until they are latched to each other. The flanges 54, 54' are spaced apart in the assembled cover member to define an opening 78 through which the incoming conductors 2, 2' extend. As previously noted, the conductors extend from the terminals and are firmly clamped against the surfaces 42, 46 so that tensile forces will not be mated to the electrical connections. If desired, an auxiliary clamping means may be provided on the rightwardly facing sides of the flanges S4, 54 to firmly grip the incoming conductors 2, 2'.

A representative electrical harness, FIG. 5, which can be readily manufactured in accordance with the principles of the invention comprises electrical connectors 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E and conductors 2, 2 which have their ends electrically connected to the upper and lower rows of the terminals of the connector 4A in accordance with the teachings of the aboveidentified application Ser. No. 147,569. The conductors extend to 4B and intermediate portions thereof are connected to the terminals in this connector in accordance with the teaching of the instant invention. The conductors 2' then extend to the upper row of terminals in connector 4C and further conductors 2" extend from the lower row of terminals in the connector 4C. Conductors 2 and 2" are then connected intermediate their ends to connector 4D and from this connector they extend to the connector 4E at which they end. The harness shown in FIG. 5 can be readily produced by simply lacing the conductors through a plurality of insertion apparatus as described below which are mounted on a panel board at locations corresponding to the locations of the connectors in the harness.

The foregoing description relates entirely to a connector having individual wires connected to the terminals in the connector. The principles of the invention are applicable to other types of conductors, for example, the individual conductors of a ribbon-cable (a plurality of parallel spaced-apart round conductors contained in a web of insulation) can be separated by axially slitting the cable between adjacent conductors and inserting them into individual terminals as described above. The invention is also applicable to the formation of electrical connections to'the flat-ribbon-like conductors in a flat conductor cable (a plurality of co-planar parallel ribbon-like conductors contained in a web of insulation).

FIGS. 6-9 show one form of apparatus for inserting each of the groups 2, 2' of conductors into the wirereceiving slots of the tenninals in the connector 4. The tool shown in FIGS. 6-9 is of the general type as that disclosed in the previously identified application Ser. No. 147,578 but having several structural improvements which permit the installation of the connector on intermediate, rather than end portions, of the conductors.

The disclosed form of apparatus comprises a frame casting having a base 80 and a'pair of integral spaced apart upstanding columns 82, 84. The column 84 is the taller of the two and is recessed on its forwardly facing tion. The lower surface 48 of the rib 34 is located against a forwardly extending shoulder or ledge 90 so that the individual contact terminals, and particularly the wire receiving plate-like portions 24, 26 thereof, are precisely located andface in opposite directions laterally of the column 84. Steel plates 86, 86' are secured against the sides of the column and support the sides of the connector.

A pair of wire positioning jigs 92, 92 are provided, one jig for each row of contact terminals in the connec-, tor. Since the jig and the wire holding means on the jig on the right hand side of the apparatus is substantially identical to the jig on the left hand side, only the jig on the righthand side will be described in detail and the same reference numerals, differentiated by prime marks, will be used for corresponding structural elementson each side of the column 84.

The jig 92 comprises an arm 94, the inner end of which is pivoted on a pin 96 which extends between the columns 82, 84. A central opening 98 (FIG. 8) extends along the axis of the arm 94 and wire locators or combs 100, 102 are secured to the arm on each side of this central opening. The locater or comb 102, which is remote from the connector held on the column 84, is secured against the side of the arms by fasteners 104 and extends beyond the inner surface 105 of the arm as shown in FIG. 8. A plurality of spaced apart barriers 106 extend from the inwardly facing surface 107 of the body of the comb, the spacing between adjacent barriers being equal to the spacing between adjacent terminals in the connector. The surface 107 is inclined inwardly toward the opening 98 so that the individual conductors 2 are located and guided towards corresponding surfaces 114 of the locator or comb 100. This latter comb is also secured to the arm by fasteners 106 and has spaced apart barriers 110, the upper edges of which are curved as shown at 112 to provide clearance for the plate 86. The inclination of the surfaces 107, l 14 is such that wires extending through the eombs extend transversely in front of an inserting means 132 described below and the wires are then guided by the surface 114 laterally away from a connector held on the column 84.

The outer end of the arm 94 has a latching block 1 16 secured thereto which has a recess 117 on its inwardly facing side and a leaf spring 1 18 on its outwardly facing side. The arm 94' has a complementary block 116 secured to its outer end which has a projection 117' that is adapted to enter recess 1 17. It will be apparent from a comparison from FIGS. 6 and 7 that the arms can be swung inwardly until the spring 1 18 engages a shoulder 120 on the block 116' and when these arms are so swung to their closed positions, wires positioned in the combs will be in alignment with the slots of the individual terminals in a connector mounted in the connector ig.

As noted above, apparatus in accordance with the invention presents substantial advantages in the manufacture of harnesses of the type shown in FIG. 5 or in the manufacture of more complex harnesses having wires extending in what might appear to be a random pattern between the electrical connectors of the harness rather than an orderly pattern as shown in FIG.

The provision of the clamping springs 124, on each side of the combs 100, 102 permits the wires to be dressed towards the apparatus from any direction and firmly held on each side of the combs during the lacing operations and during the subsequent wire insertion operations. These springs thus function as additional wire holders in conjunction with the combs and prevent the portions of the wires extending through the combs from being disturbed while the harness or cable is being laced and while the wires are connected to the terminals in the connector.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only.

I claim: 1. Apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of electrical conductors to electrical contact terminals which are mounted in the insulating housing of an electrical connecting device, each of said terminals having a plate-like portion and having a conductor-receiving slot extending into said plate-like portion, said platelike portions standing free on one side of said housing, said apparatus comprising:

connecting device jig means for holding said connecting device in a predetermined position,

conductor jig means for releasably holding conductors which are to be inserted into said conductorreceiving slots, said connecting device jig means and said conductor jig means being normally separated from each other and being positionable against each other, said conductor jig means having a central opening and having first conductor holders on each side of said central opening, said first conductor holders having means for holding intermediate portions of said conductors in spanning relationship to said central opening and in alignment with said conductor-receiving slots of plate-like portions of terminals in a connecting device held in said connecting device jig means, 1

a plurality of additional conductor holders on said conductor jig means, said additional conductor holders being on each side of said opening and being spaced from said first conductor holders, and a a a conductor inserter, said conductor inserter being dimensioned to move through said central opening when said conductor jig means is against said connecting device jig means whereby,

intermediate portions of individual conductors from diverse sources can be laced through said additional conductor holders and said conductor holders when said conductor jig means is separated from said connecting device jig means, and upon positioning said conductor jig means and said connecting device jig means against each other and upon movementof said conductor inserter through said opening, said intermediate portions of said conductors will be moved laterally of their axes from said first conductor holders and into said conductor-receiving slots of said plate-like portions. 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conductor jig means and said conductor inserter are on separate arms, said arms being pivotally mounted on a common pivotal axis.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a frame,

said connecting device jig means being integral with said frame, said conductor jig means being mounted on a conductor jig means arm, said conductor inserter being mounted on a conductor inserter arm, said arms being pivotally mounted on a common pivotal axis on said frame.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including plate means integral with, and extending laterally of, said conductor jig means arm, said additional conductor holders being on said plate means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, said additional conductor holders comprising coil springs on said plate means.

6. Apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of wires .to contact terminals which are mounted in an electrical connecting device such as a multi-contact electrical connector, said terminals each having a plate-like portion and having a wire-receiving slot extending into said plate-like portion, said plate-like portions being arranged in side-by-side coplanar relationship, said apparatus comprising:

a connecting device jig means for holding said connecting device in a predetermined position,

a wire jig means for releasably holding wires which are to be inserted into said plate-like slots, said wire jig means being movable between adjacent and remote positions relative to said connecting 8 device jig means, said wire jig means having an opening extending therethrough to permit access to said plate-like portions a pltirality of first wire holders on said wire jig means on each side of, and adjacent to, said opening, said first wire holders being arranged to hold wires in spanning relationship to said opening and in alignment with the said wire-receiving slots in a connecting device mounted on said first jig means,

a plurality of additional wire holders on said wire jig means, said additional wire holders being on each side of said opening and being spacedfrom said first wire holders, and

a wire inserter movable through said opening. said wire inserter having punch means engagcable with said wires to push said wires from said first wire holders and into said wire receiving slots, whereby intermediate portions of individual wires from diverse sources can be laced through said additional wire holders and said first wire holders when said wire jig means is in said remote position, and upon shifting said wire jig means to said adjacent position and upon movement of said inserter through said openings, said intermediate portions of said wires will be transferred from said wire jig means and inserted into said wire-receiving slots in said plate-like portions of said terminals 

1. Apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of electrical conductors to electrical contact terminals which are mounted in the insulating housing of an electrical connecting device, each of said terminals having a plate-like portion and having a conductor-receiving slot extending into said plate-like portion, said plate-like portions standing free on one side of said housing, said apparatus comprising: connecting device jig means for holding said connecting device in a predetermined position, conductor jig means for releasably holding conductors which are to be inserted into said conductor-receiving slots, said connecting device jig means and said conductor jig means being normally separated from each other and being positionable against each other, saId conductor jig means having a central opening and having first conductor holders on each side of said central opening, said first conductor holders having means for holding intermediate portions of said conductors in spanning relationship to said central opening and in alignment with said conductor-receiving slots of plate-like portions of terminals in a connecting device held in said connecting device jig means, a plurality of additional conductor holders on said conductor jig means, said additional conductor holders being on each side of said opening and being spaced from said conductor holders, and a conductor inserter, said conductor inserter being dimensioned to move through said central opening when said conductor jig means is against said connecting device jig means whereby, intermediate portions of individual conductors from diverse sources can be laced through said additional conductor holders and said conductor holders when said conductor jig means is separated from said connecting device jig means, and upon positioning said conductor jig means and said connecting device jig means against each other and upon movement of said conductor inserter through said opening, said intermediate portions of said conductors will be moved laterally of their axes from said first conductor holders and into said conductorreceiving slots of said plate-like portions.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conductor jig means and said conductor inserter are on separate arms, said arms being pivotally mounted on a common pivotal axis.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a frame, said connecting device jig means being integral with said frame, said conductor jig means being mounted on a conductor jig means arm, said conductor inserter being mounted on a conductor inserter arm, said arms being pivotally mounted on a common pivotal axis on said frame.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including plate means integral with, and extending laterally of, said conductor jig means arm, said additional conductor holders being on said plate means.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, said additional conductor holders comprising coil springs on said plate means.
 6. Apparatus for connecting intermediate portions of wires to contact terminals which are mounted in an electrical connecting device such as a multi-contact electrical connector, said terminals each having a plate-like portion and having a wire-receiving slot extending into said plate-like portion, said plate-like portions being arranged in side-by-side coplanar relationship, said apparatus comprising: a connecting device jig means for holding said connecting device in a predetermined position, a wire jig means for releasably holding wires which are to be inserted into said plate-like slots, said jig means being movable between adjacent and remote positions relative to said connecting device jig means, said wire jig means having an opening extending therethrough to permit access to said plate-like portions, a plurality of first wire holders on said wire jig means on each side of, and adjacent to, said opening, said first wire holders being arranged to hold wires in spanning relationship to said opening and in alignment with the said wire-receiving slots in a connecting device mounted on said first jig means, a plurality of additional wire holders on said wire jig means, said additional wire holders being on each side of said opening and being spaced from said first wire holders, and a wire inserter movable through said opening, said wire inserter having punch means engageable with said wires to push said wires from said first wire holders and into said wire receiving slots, whereby intermediate portions of individual wires from diverse sources can be laced through said additional wire holders and said first wire holders when said wire jig means is in said remote position, and upon shifting said wire jig means to said adjacent position And upon movement of said inserter through said openings, said intermediate portions of said wires will be transferred from said wire jig means and inserted into said wire-receiving slots in said plate-like portions of said terminals. 